


Hogwarts Cinderella

by ANGSWIN



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bittersweet Ending, Cinderella Elements, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23206465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ANGSWIN/pseuds/ANGSWIN
Summary: It was just like a fairy tale...but not the good kind...when Hermione found herself in a miserable situation.  However, she never expected that a house elf and her former Slytherin bully would come to the rescue when her own friends could not.
Relationships: Hermione Granger & Dobby, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 22
Kudos: 66
Collections: Hermione's Haven Bingo 2020, Hermione's Haven Roll-A-Drabble, Tropes & Fandoms 2020





	Hogwarts Cinderella

**Author's Note:**

> Written to serve triple duty for the  
>  **2020 Tropes and Fandoms challenge at The Melting Pot:**  
>  Date: 3/11/20 - Square: 7/Ladder - Positive Trope: Fairytale  
>  **2020 Hermione’s Haven Bingo challenge:**  
>  Square N3 - Free Space  
>  **April 2019 Roll-a-Drabble at Hermione’s Haven:**  
>  Character: Draco - Trope: Fairy tale (Cinderella)

After Hermione Granger lost her parents under suspicious circumstances during her fifth year at Hogwarts, Acting Headmistress Dolores Umbridge cheerfully told her the news. While the girl sobbed in her grief, however, Umbridge also informed her that as an orphaned muggleborn student, she had automatically become a ward of Hogwarts under the charge of the school’s Head. 

“In other words,” the odious woman explained gleefully, “I, by default, have immediately become your magical guardian.” 

~~~~~

Life became even more difficult for Hermione after that. Not only had her parents died mysteriously without a mark on their bodies, (Everyone knew what _that_ meant!) but their bank accounts had been wiped clean by unknown means, as well. That meant that the automatic monthly payments to cover her Hogwarts tuition were no longer issued. Despite Professor McGonagall’s offer to pay for her young Lion’s education herself, Umbridge used her joint authority as the acting school Head and Hermione’s magical guardian to deny the Transfiguration professor’s request. Similar offers from all of the other professors were declined, as well. 

“If Miss Granger wants to continue her education at this establishment, she must work off the debt herself,” she decreed. 

~~~~~

Eager to remove Harry Potter from the girl’s influence and assistance, Umbridge also used the opportunity to create another educational decree which stated that only paying students could live in the dormitories and serve in any supervisorial capacity. Therefore, Hermione was stripped of her Prefect status and moved out of the comfortable Gryffindor tower and into a disused broom closet adjacent to Filch’s personal quarters. It was full of spiders and was barely wide enough for a narrow cot and her school trunk. Unfortunately, however, she knew that it would be her home for the foreseeable future. Therefore, she tried to make the most of it.

Both her grief and the austere conditions would have been a little more bearable if she had been allowed to keep her beloved Crookshanks for company. However, apparently Umbridge’s newest…and oddly specific…decree also stated that charity students were not allowed to have familiars, either. Hermione did not want anything to happen to her favorite half-kneazle. Therefore, she secretly met with the Weasley twins (whom she knew made a regular habit of sneaking out of the castle to apparate to London whenever they needed supplies for their pranks and products).

“Please take Crooks to S…Sirius at G…Grimmauld P…Place,” she requested brokenly as the thought of also losing her familiar destroyed her a little bit further.

The twins each gave her a sympathetic hug and promised to handle it – without any of their characteristic jokes or teases, at all. Hermione knew she could trust them. Plus, the knowledge that her cat and the animagus got along very well…and that the company would be especially good for Sirius…brought her a small amount of comfort during the lonely nights in her cupboard. At least she knew _they_ would have each other. 

Hermione was still allowed to attend her normal classes, but she had to report to Filch and turn her wand over to him as soon as her last class was over. She then had to complete whatever evening duties he gave her without magic. Her wand was begrudgingly returned to her before her first class of the next day, but only _after_ her morning duties were completed, as well. When she tried to complain about the loss of her wand – and even tried to rationalize with them that she could get more work done with it than without it - she was met with nothing but a snarl from the cantankerous caretaker. 

“Too good to get your hands dirty, Girlie? Think you’re better than a Squib, heh?” Filch spat out angrily and would not even listen to Hermione’s sincere denial of such a feeling before he reported her to the acting Headmistress.

Umbridge firmly reminded her that underage magic that was not for educational purposes was prohibited – even at Hogwarts. The woman’s supposed rationale was that since cleaning and castle maintenance were not educational ventures, then the no-magic rule still applied. Then she assigned Hermione a detention for her presumed cheek, after which the line _I will be grateful for the charity of my betters,_ painfully scarred the back of her hand. 

Working with Filch every morning and every evening kept Hermione so busy and tired that she never had time to see her friends outside of class. At the beginning, Mrs Norris was often left to supervise her work hours, as well, and Hermione knew that the cat would not hesitate to tattle on her to Filch if she slacked off from her duties for any reason. However, for the first couple of days, Hermione found company and solace at meal time in the Great Hall with her fellow Gryffindors. As soon as Umbridge realized that she had not actually forbidden the chit from being there, though, she set out to correct her mistake immediately. Hermione was soon informed that she was also no longer allowed to eat her meals in the Great Hall with her peers. 

“What educational decree is supposed to cover that circumstance?” she asked hopelessly. After all, she knew very well that it would not do any good. It was obvious that she had been singled out to be made into an example of what could happen to those who would not fall into line under the new administration. 

She received no answer. She did, however, earn herself another detention for insubordination after which the marks on the back of her hand were even more pronounced and noticeable. After that exchange, her meals also started to be delivered by house elf magic to her small room - where she ate them alone.

~~~~~

The months passed by and Hermione waded through them in a fog of exhaustion. Her daily routine of work, class, work, homework and then finally just a couple hours of uneasy sleep had taken its toll on her. Even though she was only able to speak a few words to Harry and Ron between classes, she always tried to appear upbeat for their sakes. 

“I’m fine!” she insisted, however untruthful that statement was. When Harry looked doubtfully at the dark circles under her eyes and her increasingly thin form, she had to force him to promise not to do anything rash about her situation or he would also get himself and Ron…and possibly the rest of the Weasleys, as well…into trouble, too. Even though Harry was concerned, he did as she asked. The rest of the student body – including the few other friends that she had made - mainly sent her pitying looks, but they all ultimately decided to stay away from her out of fear of Umbridge’s wrath. 

The professors were also desperately worried about her. Nevertheless, they could not even talk to her at all about her circumstances because of Educational Decree #26. Therefore, they had to find more subtle ways to help her during class. Flitwick would often throw a Cheering Charm her way during practice time when his actions were least likely to be noticed by anyone – especially the Slytherins, who reported everything back to Umbridge. McGonagall would also use the same distraction techniques to discreetly mend Hermione’s increasingly ragged robes and uniform with Transfiguration. 

The young witch would even, to her extreme surprise, occasionally find a vial of Pepper Up in her bag after Potions class on her particularly difficult days. She knew better than to acknowledge _anything,_ however, since Filch and the Inquisition Squad were everywhere as Umbridge’s spies. However, she was more grateful for the small helpful gestures than she could possibly express.

The only good thing to come out of her miserable existence was that the Slytherins _mostly_ stopped their constant blood-status fueled taunting after a while when it became clear that she was no longer going to retaliate. After all, a subdued Granger was simply no fun to antagonize. There was no challenge there anymore. 

One Slytherin in particular, however, kept a concerned eye out for her and it was his discreet efforts that often distracted his less-than-well-intentioned housemates away from antagonizing her. Even though it was too dangerous to ever admit it aloud, especially since they were definitely on opposite sides of the looming war, he had found that the muggleborn girl fascinated him more than he wished. That was especially true after the feisty little witch had broken his nose in their third year. He had been amazed by the raw power and emotion that she had displayed then…and it slowly changed his feelings and beliefs about her. 

Yes, to keep up appearances, he continued to insult her and call her names…and he had accidentally given her beaver teeth once in the past year when he had been aiming for the Weasel…but his heart just was not in the harrassment anymore. However, Slytherins were experts at hiding their true feelings…so that is exactly what he did. His House was also known for their cunning and slyness. Therefore, Draco also used those characteristics to try to find a way to help her during her current difficult situation without being caught…or even suspected of doing so in the first place.

~~~~~

Time continued to pass and it was finally time for a Hogsmeade weekend. Hermione desperately wanted to go and spend some time away from the castle and in the company of her friends - especially since she had been extremely lonely in her isolation. Of course, her so-called guardian refused to even consider the idea, however. In fact, when asked, Umbridge cheerfully informed the girl that a trip to Hogsmeade was completely out of the question because she simply had too much work to do in the castle.

That was finally the breaking point for Hermione. Even though she was able to keep it together until she reached her small room at the scheduled mealtime, she immediately lost all control over her emotions as soon as she was through the door. She threw herself on the cot while her increasingly thin frame was wracked with the force of her sobs. 

All of a sudden, she was pulled out of her grief by a gentle touch and a small concerned voice that whispered to her comfortingly. Hermione practically jumped out of her skin at the now-unaccustomed contact until she recognized the small house elf who stood there. It was Dobby. 

Apparently, he was the one who always delivered her meals because the others were still too afraid of her due to her old practice of hiding knitted hats around the Gryffindor common room. However, she had never actually been in the former broom closet before when Dobby brought her food, so he did not know how sad Harry Potter’s friend really was or how badly she was treated. At the realization, Dobby remembered how it felt to be in a similar situation with his old Master and he made the decision to act like the free elf he was. 

“Dobby will help Harry Potter’s nice knitting friend just like Harry Potter helped Dobby!” he declared to the weeping girl.

After she moved the house elf to tears when she told him that she was simply grateful for his company and did not need anything else when he asked, the first thing Dobby did with his powerful house elf magic was to take care of the rest of her chores for her in a tiny fraction of the time that it would have taken her to do them herself. After all, he only needed to focus his will and snap his fingers in order to do so.

Then, after he figured out that she also wanted to visit the village, but did not want to be recognized, he glamoured her appearance slightly - just enough so that nobody would immediately recognize her as Hermione Granger. He also told her the location of a secret tunnel that would take her straight to the village and sent her on her way with the warning that she had to be back by dinner time because he could not maintain her glamour from such a distance any longer than that. 

“Oh, thank you, Dobby! Thank you!” Hermione enthused gratefully. Then, with a joyful hug and even a kiss on his little bald head, she was off like a shot to the tunnel that she realized must be the same one that Harry had also used during their third year. After her exit, Dobby went about the rest of his duties with a smile on his face and was happy in the knowledge that he had done right by Missy Hermione.

Meanwhile, Hermione cheerfully slipped away to the village since she was quite eager to find Harry and Ron. It had been so long since she had been able to just hang out with them and enjoy their company – and she had missed them desperately. After a quick search, she finally caught a glimpse of Harry, but it seemed as if she was out of luck again because he was escorting Cho around the town. Hermione knew that Harry had liked the pretty Ravenclaw forever, so even if she was disappointed, she left the two of them alone as she looked for Ron, instead. 

Ron, however, was so thick in the middle of a Quidditch discussion with a group of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff boys at the _Three Broomsticks,_ that Hermione could not get to him, either. Therefore, she swallowed her disappointment and loneliness as she headed for _Tomes and Scrolls_ instead. Even though she no longer had any money of her own with which to buy anything, she knew that just browsing for a while would be nice, as well – especially since she rarely had time to go to the library…or even to read for pleasure…anymore. Consequently, she decided that she would take what small comfort she could get…even if it was not the friendly company that she _really_ wanted.

Her intense desire to have at least some pleasure during her brief respite consequently made the sight all the more disturbing when Draco Malfoy, of all people, came into the quiet little “Muggle Selections” room where she had settled herself in the bookshop. What was even more surprising than his presence, however, was the fact that he actually seemed to be browsing through the muggle books before he finally noticed the girl in the corner and apologized politely for his intrusion. 

Hermione simply stared at him in disbelief for a moment _(Malfoy could be polite?)_ and felt a prickle of fear that he was just playing with her until he could turn her in to the nasty pink toad for being somewhere that she was obviously not supposed to be. It was then that she remembered that she was under Dobby’s glamour and that the Slytherin obviously did not recognize her. This realization renewed the Gryffindor boldness and courage that had slowly been wasting away during her extremely unfortunate change of circumstances…and, desperate for any sort of social interaction...she decided to speak to him.

“That’s quite alright,” she said calmly. “I don’t own this corner of the store. I just retreated in here for a little peace from the madhouse outside.” She paused for a second while she considered the best way to hide her identity. Then it came to her…and it was even the truth. “I forgot how noisy the village could be during a Hogwarts weekend.”

“You’re not a student, then?” Draco asked with surprise as he eyed the pretty girl in front of him with interest – especially since she seemed to be about his age. Also, her wavy brown hair and golden brown eyes reminded him of someone…someone important…but he just could not place who it was at that moment.

“Oh, I am,” she replied with a smile.

“Just not at Hogwarts.” He made his own assumption. “Homeschooled, I bet.” She just shrugged since she did not want to lie outright – even to Malfoy - if she could help it. However, he took that gesture as acquiescence and just smirked as he realized that apparently she did not know him…or his family’s reputation…at all. Therefore, he could drop the haughty, superior Pureblood façade – at least for one afternoon – as long as they stayed away from the other Hogwarts students. 

“I’m Drake,” he introduced himself by his nickname. Then he swept her an exaggerated bow of courtesy, along with an elaborate hand flourish, that seemed so silly and out-of-character for the usually pompous Malfoy that Hermione could not help but to laugh. To her surprise, that was obviously his intent because he just grinned back at her cheerfully.

“Mia,” she replied. Her old childhood nickname tumbled out of her mouth, almost against her will at the sight of that smile. She would have never guessed that Malfoy could be so charming. It was certainly a side of him that she had never seen before. Hermione did not reflect on that surprising idea for long, however, before she suddenly remembered that Malfoy never went anywhere without Crabbe and Goyle. Alarmed, she looked around, but did not see his “goons,” as Harry called them, anywhere.

“Did you come to the village alone?” she asked, honestly curious. “I thought the students normally traveled in packs.”

Draco just laughed…and Hermione marveled how pleasant and natural it sounded. It was not at all like the mean and nasty one that she had always heard from him before. “We usually do,” he explained cheerfully, “but my idiot friends got themselves thrown into detention for doing something incredibly unsubtle this morning, instead. It’s not all bad, though, since I would never have been able to spend a quiet afternoon in the bookstore if they had been with me. They would have blundered around and gotten us kicked out for sure.”

“It was probably for the best, then,” she replied sagely as she wondered what Crabbe and Goyle had done. Her guess was that they were caught bullying some first years – especially since that happened quite frequently and seemed to be their favorite pastime. 

“I agree.” Her companion drew her attention back to him with his answer. “What about you?” 

“I’m on my own, too,” she answered truthfully. “My friends were…um…not available.”

“Perhaps you will allow me to keep you company for a while, then,” he offered chivalrously.

“Perhaps,” she answered noncommittedly as she kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and for the real Malfoy to make his presence known. After all, this one was entirely too pleasant to be true. Therefore, she hurriedly changed the subject. “So…Muggle literature?” she asked as she gestured around the section of the book store where they stood. She was sure that this was the one topic that would bring forth either the inevitable insults or questions about her blood status. Consequently, she was quite surprised, and rather pleased, when neither came to pass. 

In fact, the Slytherin just shrugged. “I'm looking for a gift for a…friend. She has been having a rough time lately and I thought that a book might help to take her mind off… _things.”_

“That’s so sweet,” Hermione gushed before she could stop herself. She did not know which friend he was talking about (Pansy maybe? One of the Greengrass girls?) but she was amazed at his thoughtfulness, nonetheless. She was also keenly aware that even her own two best friends had not thought about the fact that the gift of a book…or any small gesture really…could possibly help her feel better during her _situation_. 

She just sighed and settled for the next best thing, though. She would help someone else out instead. Maybe some good karma…or luck…or _something_ …would find her then. She seriously doubted it, but she decided would help Malfoy anyway. It was simply the right thing to do.

“Let me help you pick something out,” she insisted. “So your friend needs an escape, hmm? What about some fantasy then?” She then led him over to the appropriate section where time proceeded to fly while they discussed the various merits and pitfalls of such fantasy classics as _The Chronicles of Narnia_ and _The Lord of the Rings_ series. Hermione was amazed about how easygoing and entertaining Draco could be when he was by himself away from the prejudices of Hogwarts…and she allowed herself to enjoy it for as long as she possibly could. 

After a while, they were even able to settle on a nice thick tome of fairy tales for his friend…and Hermione made sure that they were the “Happily Ever After” kind. After all, she had suddenly realized how similar her own situation was to that of “Cinderella.” Unfortunately, she also knew that there would be no rich and handsome Prince to save her in this instance. However, a surprising thought occurred to her at that very moment and she looked closely at her unexpected companion. She had just realized with quite a bit of shock that maybe one actually had…even if it had only been for a few hours.

Just then, her stomach decided to protest the fact that her last meal had been some time past and that she had actually eaten very little then. In fact, nervous tension had taken up all of the available space in her stomach at the thought of sneaking out of Hogwarts – even with Dobby’s help. Unfortunately, Draco heard the sound, as well, and grinned at her predicament. He knew that most of the students had already gone back up to the castle for dinner, so he felt safe in his offer to take Mia over to the _Three Broomsticks_ for a meal. In fact, he looked forward to spending more time with her. She was just so refreshingly different from Pansy and the other girls with whom he normally associated.

He was not even worried about getting in trouble for being late because he knew that Snape was the professor on gate duty this weekend. Therefore, the worst that he would receive was a stern lecture from his godfather and an unfounded threat to tell his father. However, to his consternation, his companion became alarmed at his casual mention of a meal. 

“Is it dinnertime already?” she almost shrieked as she remembered Dobby’s warning. Draco looked at her with concern, but she was already scrambling away from him. “I’m _so_ sorry, but I have to go. This was very nice, though. It’s actually been the nicest time that I have had in a long time. Thank you! Thank you _so_ much!” she babbled frantically as she tried to make her escape. 

Draco reached out in confusion and caught her hand in his for just a moment, but that was long enough for him to see the obvious flicker of her failing glamour. At his immediate look of suspicion, she snatched her hand away - but not before the glamour failed there, as well, and he could clearly see the scars on the back of her hand. Before he could say anything, however, she had rushed out of the store – and left him standing there confused with the book of fairy tales still in his other hand.

~~~~~

Hermione managed to sneak back into Hogwarts with nobody, except for Dobby, the wiser about her clandestine activities of the previous few hours. In fact, when Dobby delivered her dinner, and asked if she had enjoyed herself, she was able to firmly answer in the affirmative as she thanked him profusely again. It may not have been her original plan with her original friends, but she really did have a good time on the outing. 

Even though she had panicked a bit at the end, she did not think Draco had any clue about whom he had really been with in the bookstore. Of that she was grateful, and since Dobby had already magically finished all of her chores for her, she was more than happy to spend her unexpected free time snuggled up in bed with her old friend - _Hogwarts, A History –_ until sleep overcame her and she experienced the first good night’s rest since her ordeal had begun.

~~~~~

Draco was not so lucky. He just could not keep his mind off of the mysterious girl whom he had met in _Tomes and Scrolls._ Ever since he figured out that Mia had been wearing a glamour during their time in the bookstore, he had struggled to come up with a motive for her actions. _What had been her goal?_ he wondered. 

He did not think that she had been a spy…for either side…because nothing sensitive had been discussed at all. They had not talked about any _Dark_ or _Light_ topics whatsoever. No information had been given or solicited in any way. They had simply talked about books…and she had even helped him to pick out the thick tome of fairy tales that he planned to somehow slip anonymously to Granger. 

At any rate, because of Mia’s company, he had experienced a few of the most comfortably pleasant hours that he could remember. With her, he had finally been able to be himself and not just whom everyone expected him to be. _But who was she?_

It was a mystery that kept Draco quiet and withdrawn all during dinner in the Great Hall and one that later made him toss and turn in bed until he remembered that he did have one important clue to go by. When her glamour had flickered, he had noticed that the back of her hand was scarred…as if with a blood quill! It was common knowledge among the Hogwarts student population exactly who used such a tool as punishment. If Mia had purposely misled him about being a Hogwarts student, it should be relatively easy to find her. 

After all, Draco clearly remembered seeing the words: _I will be grateful…_ carved into the girl’s hand. He did not know how that statement ended, but he did know where to look…and it obviously would not be at anyone in the Slytherin house. After all, Umbridge had never given detention to any of _them_.

He spent the next few days surreptitiously coming up with ways to check the hands of all the Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and even the Gryffindor girls. Depending on their blood status (After all, it would not go over well if anyone became suspicious of his actions and word got back to his father and the Dark Lord), he would either chivalrously take their hand to help them with various tasks or forcefully bump into them. That would cause them to drop whatever they carried and then they would be forced to show their hands as they picked up the items that had been knocked to the ground. If the student happened to be muggleborn, he threw in a few halfhearted insults for good measure, as well. 

His search went on all week with nothing to show for his efforts except his increasing knowledge that Umbridge had a sadistic streak that apparently knew no bounds…as long as the victims were not Purebloods, of course. He actually loathed the woman himself, but his father seemed to approve of her and had even warned Draco to remain respectful of her…and her methods…because she had the potential to become very useful to their cause. Despite his personal feelings about the Toad and the many scars that she had inflicted, though, he was still disappointed because none of the ones he had seen thus far had started with the phrase “I will be grateful…” 

During that time, even though his mind had been mostly preoccupied with Mia, he had still not forgotten about Granger. How could he? His thoughts were still conflicted about the fascinating muggleborn witch as his eyes followed her. 

He noticed how she stayed on the peripheral on the student population, now, in order to avoid attention as she moved from menial chore to chore just like a house elf. However, unlike those eager creatures, she obviously felt no love for the activity nor loyalty to her Mistress, either. Draco felt himself grow hot and angry at the thought. Muggleborn or not, Granger was no house elf! 

Instead, she was a damn fine witch who still managed to remain at the top of the class despite her foul treatment. That was not even considering how she must have felt about the fact that Potter and the Weasel…as well as the rest of the Gryffindors…had apparently deserted her in her time of need. Draco harrumphed at the thought of the supposedly Golden House and its members. The rest of the school could say what they liked about the Slytherins, but at least they put up a united front and stood up for their own!

Nevertheless, all of his thoughts about house elves had given him an idea. He had finally figured out how to deliver Granger’s book. Now all he needed to decide was if he actually wanted to include an anonymous note with it…or if that would make him seem too much like a Hufflepuff. He pondered the issue all through the week until something happened in Potions class on Friday that solidified the decision for him.

Since their first year, the Slytherins had always had the misfortune to share their Potions class with the Gryffindors. Therefore, Draco knew that, during better times, Granger preferred to get to class early and sit in the front where she often helped those dunderhead friends of hers to actually create something that was not a complete failure. However, in the past few months, Draco noticed that she often staggered into class at the last possible moment to drop exhaustedly into the last available seat by the door by herself. Her potions were still perfect, but she now kept both her hand and her head down and worked steadily on her own while Longbottom, Potter, and the Weasel blundered along down in the front without her. 

Even more interesting to Draco, however, was the fact that his godfather did not even acknowledge her presence anymore – neither to berate her nor to take points for any contrived infractions – even though the rest of the Lions still continued to lose as many points as usual. In fact, Snape just took her bottled potion at the end of the class without any comment, sarcastic or otherwise, whatsoever. Draco was confused about the entire situation until he also saw the man surreptitiously drop a Pepper Up potion into Granger’s bag once while he made his rounds through the class during the brewing process on a day when Granger looked particularly haggard. He then finally understood that his godfather felt much the same way he did about the situation. He did not mention it, however, because that was simply not the Slytherin way. Nonetheless, he did store the information away for later…just in case it was ever needed. 

On the Friday after the Hogsmeade visit, though, Granger was almost-but-not-quite late to class, as usual. Even though she had gratefully agreed to allow Dobby to continue to magically perform the less obvious chores, she still had to be seen doing the more public ones…which were also the larger and more difficult jobs. That way, Umbridge and Filch would not become suspicious and punish her with more detentions…or worse. 

Those chores were still more than enough work to tire out the young woman, though, and somebody else besides Draco finally noticed the exhausted girl when she stumbled into class…and decided to have a little fun with her, as well. Pansy purposely stuck out her foot into Hermione’s path and laughed when the girl went sprawling across the hard stone floor towards Draco. He could do nothing but watch helplessly, though, as her hand reached out in vain to catch herself before she landed on it with a loud _snap._

“Oops! Sorry, Granger.” Pansy simpered insincerely as Granger sat on the cold dungeon floor and cradled her broken wrist with tears in her eyes. In spite of the pain, though, she refused to let them fall and give the Slytherins the satisfaction of seeing her cry. To his credit, Harry quickly moved to go to her, then, but Professor Snape was suddenly there with his billowing robes and a look of dark fury in his eyes instead. He ignored Potter completely, however, and his voice was deceptively level and calm when he finally spoke. 

“Longbottom,” he barked out and the boy jumped to attention. “Take your classmate to the hospital wing. It’s not as if you will be productive in the class without her whispering instructions in your ear, anyways.” With that permission, Neville rushed to Hermione’s side and gently helped her up while the rest of the Gryffindors looked on with a bit of helpless pity in their eyes. Harry, however, just fell back into his seat despondently since he was, once again, unable to help his friend in any useful sort of way.

Snape did not say a word to Pansy. However, her Head of House just looked at her intently enough to leave her quaking before he turned away. After all, it had been made clear to their entire House that, regardless of the current administration, the Slytherins were supposed to remain subtle…and therefore blameless…during any less-than-positive interactions with their classmates. Consequently, later, when Pansy's potion mysteriously exploded all over her and covered her exposed skin in boils, the message was clear to the rest of the Slytherins. Even though it could not be proven, it was understood by the Snakes that Snape had issued his punishment for her obvious indiscretion. 

The Gryffindors, on the other hand, remained oblivious to the undertones of the interactions on the other side of the room as they returned to their work and continued to slough their way through the difficult assignment. It remained that way until the inevitable explosion occurred from the Lions' side, as well. This time, though, the distraction was courtesy of Seamus - since Neville had not yet returned from the infirmary.

Draco did not even notice Finnegan’s disaster because he had been greatly affected by the scene with Granger. In fact, he had remained so thoroughly distracted for the rest of the lesson that his potion was deemed just barely passable when he turned it in at the end of the class period. At first, he had just been pissed at Pansy for her initial cruel actions, and he had already started to plan some discreet revenge for Granger. However, when the unfortunate girl fell towards him, Draco got a good look at her outstretched hand. The realization that he had missed at least one of the girls during his inspections became obvious as he clearly saw the words scarred across the back of it: _I will be grateful for the charity of my betters._

 _I will be grateful…_ Draco knew instantly that this was the girl for whom he had been searching. With a dazed sort of shock, he processed the information. _Granger was Mia!_ The two fascinating girls were one and the same.The Gryffindor Know-it-all was also the wonderfully mysterious girl from the bookstore. Granger was actually the one whose company he had so thoroughly enjoyed. 

Not only that, but she had obviously known exactly who he was the entire time. After all, he had not been the one wearing the glamour. Therefore, she knew without a doubt that he was the same boy who had teased and bullied her for years. Yet, she had been pleasant to him, anyway. Ironically, she had even helped him to find the book for his “friend.” He just could not believe it! 

_Why did she not punch me again…or at least leave me alone to fend for myself when I invaded her privacy? Why had she stayed? Why had she been nice? Why did I feel so comfortable in her presence? Why had it been Granger, of all people, with whom I felt a connection and wanted to see again?_ The questions all swirled in his head, but at least one thing was clear. 

He now knew why she had worn a glamour, even though he did not know how she had achieved such a feat of strong magic in the first place. It was certainly not for any nefarious purpose directed at him as he had previously considered. He realized that she had simply not wanted to be recognized during her temporary escape from the castle…and he found that he definitely could not blame her for that.

One thing was certain, though. He now wanted to help the unfortunate Gryffindor more than ever without raising any suspicions. Therefore, he needed a very Slytherin kind of plan. He knew that such an endeavor would take some time…so he decided he would start small. He would give Granger the book that she had helped him to pick out in the first place. After all, he had to convince her of his good intentions first, if he was going to be able to help her in a more substantial way later.

~~~~~

Even though Hermione’s wrist was healed in a very short time, Madame Pomfrey took one look at the haggard young woman and insisted that she stay in the infirmary for at least two days to rest and recover. During that time, she pumped the girl full of restorative potions and even angrily chased away Umbridge when the thoroughly unpleasant woman came to complain that ‘the charity case was using up all of the valuable medical resources.’ As a result, a very grateful Hermione was able to return to her little cupboard feeling healthier and stronger than she had in a long time.

However, her feelings soon turned to ones of shock and disbelief when she found a book waiting for her there on her narrow little cot. It was the same book of fairy tales that she had helped Malfoy pick out for a “friend” during her unauthorized excursion to the village. Apparently, she…Muggleborn Hermione Granger…was the one he had meant all along! Even more unbelievable than the gift, however, was the handwritten note that fell out of it when she picked up the heavy tome. 

_Mia,_   
_I want to help._   
_No…I **will** help you._   
_That is my promise._

Hermione stared incredulously at the piece of parchment and the few words written on it. The note was unsigned, but she realized that he had done that on purpose in case of interception. The sly snake knew that she would recognize the book and who it was from, anyway, so he played it safe. Even though she recognized it as a very Slytherin thing to do, she realized that she could not fault his logic at all. 

At any rate, Hermione found that she had to sit down as her already crazy life went into another abrupt tailspin at her discovery of the gift and its giver. _How did Draco figure out that I was Mia? What does he mean he wants to help? Why did he buy the book for me in the first place? Hasn’t he always hated me and my “kind?” What does he actually want from me?_ she wondered desperately. 

She did not have long to ponder the situation, however, because Filch was soon at her door with demands that she immediately catch up on all of the chores she had missed over the last few days. One question continued to weigh heavily on her mind, though, as she trudged out to complete the dirty and menial tasks that Filch just did not want to do himself. 

_Which Malfoy is the **real** one: the cruel bully from the last five years or the pleasant companion from the bookstore?_

~~~~~

When she returned to her small room for dinner, Dobby was waiting for her, as had become his new custom. However, this time the little elf practically bounced with excitement as he snapped his fingers and finished all of her uncompleted chores so she could rest in peace and he could deliver his news. After she thanked him profusely and considerately insisted that he sit and rest with her, he proceeded to explain his happy state while she ate.

“Old Young Master Draco found Dobby in the kitchens and asked Dobby to help him take a book to Missy Hermione, Harry Potter’s friend. Dobby always liked kind Old Young Master Draco…he not be having Dobby punish himself like Old Old Master liked. Dobby happy to help Old Young Master Draco, even if he is not being Dobby’s Young Master anymore. Dobby not be telling him that Dobby already help young Miss, though. Dobby be keeping the secrets of Missy Hermione.”

Hermione was very grateful that she could trust Dobby, but it took her a moment to figure out what else the excited little house elf was trying to tell her. Once she realized that he used the term “old” to mean “former,” his statement made a lot more sense to her. Draco, his former young master, had asked him to deliver the book to her. That was how it had ended up in her room with nobody the wiser. That made sense. 

What caused her to pause, however, was Dobby’s declaration that Draco had been _kind_ to him and not cruel the way his father had obviously been. After all, the Malfoys’ supposed treatment of Dobby was what had fueled her fury and her SPEW movement in the first place. If the elder Malfoy was the only one who had treated the house elf poorly, Hermione wondered if she had gotten the rest of it all terribly wrong, as well. Perhaps the plight of house elves was not as dire as she believed. She knew, however, that there was only one way to find out. 

First, she thought back to the version of Draco that she had met in the bookstore, and decided that he sounded a lot like the one that Dobby described, as well. Therefore, she asked the little house elf to tell her more about his Old Young Master and his life with the rest of the family beside the Old Old Master. What she learned warmed her heart and made her a bit ashamed of herself at the same time. 

Dobby taught her that house elves were at their strongest when they bonded with a family that loved them. Dobby was very strong because he had been loved by the Old Young Master. When Harry Potter tricked the Old Old Master into releasing him, Dobby was happy to be free, but he had been weakened by the removal of the bond. It was not until he bonded with Hogwarts itself that he became strong again. However, he still considered himself a free elf because he no longer had a Master…because the castle…powerfully sentient or not…was not a human and could not really love. Therefore, he had been very happy to see the Old Young Master again, and to feel the strength of the love that the castle just could not provide. 

When Dobby was finished with his story, somehow Hermione knew that, against all odds and everything she had experienced at Hogwarts with him so far, she could now take Draco Malfoy’s word that he wanted to help her as the absolute truth. As difficult as it was to believe, it seemed as if she really could trust him. After all, Dobby cared about him as much as he did Harry, and the knowledge that Draco returned those feelings made all the difference in the world to her.

~~~~~

While everyone’s else heads were bent intently over their steaming cauldrons during their next potion class on Friday, Draco very carefully met Granger’s eyes. At that moment, she remembered all that Dobby had told her, and she slowly nodded at the unspoken question in the Slytherin’s eyes. A ghost of a smile threatened to cross his face then, but it was suddenly checked by his godfather’s slight warning cough and the purposeful head shake that the man directed towards them as he watched them both from his position behind his desk. Even though it did not seem as if he actually disapproved, his message was clear enough… _Proceed with caution! There is danger everywhere._

Over the next few weeks, they were very careful to take his unspoken advice. They never met in person, nor did they actually speak to each other, at all. They both knew that there were too many eyes and ears around to risk that. What they did, however, was write. A loyal house elf was the most secure and discreet delivery system available. Therefore, both Hermione and Draco knew that they were lucky that Dobby was happy to deliver Hermione an unsigned message with her evening meal and to collect her equally anonymous return message when he delivered her breakfast the next morning. 

The messages were short as first…just a few terse lines designed to simply give and receive information. For example, Draco wanted to know her parents’ full names, their preferred banking institution, and the name of their solicitor. Hermione could not help but to wonder what he would do with such information since she knew that everything was already gone for good, but she provided it anyway. After all, she knew she _literally_ had nothing to lose. 

However, over time their missives grew longer and were exchanged more often as soon as they felt comfortable enough to discuss more in-depth subjects such as class assignments, gossip about fellow students, and other minor issues with each other. Eventually, when they grew to trust and respect each other even more through their daily correspondence, they started to discuss the even deeper issues, and to open up about their hopes and fears, as well. 

_My parents would want me to be strong._ She wrote to him on a particularly difficult day. 

_I know that they would want me to stand up to Umbridge. How can I, though, when she has the power to destroy my chances of an education…and, consequently, a career and a future? My hopes for a future here in the magical world are all that I have left now. I can’t let her take them away. Therefore, I have to let things stand as they are…at least for the time being. Thank goodness I have you and Dobby to make such a life a little more bearable in the meantime._

_I understand completely,_ he replied. 

_My father wants me to follow the Dark Lord_ , _but how can I do so when everything he has ever said about blood purity…and lack thereof…has obviously been a lie? After all, you’re the living proof of that. How can I not do what he commands, however, when he has the power to completely destroy my family if I refuse? Therefore, I have to at least appear to be his willing servant – even if it means that I cannot be who I really am and have what my heart truly wants._

_..._

As time went on it, their letters to each other became even more frequent. They wrote to each other several times a day and the information that their missives carried became more personal and more blatantly honest, as well. In fact, it came to the point that they both agreed that the only safe thing to do was to have Dobby destroy all of their messages immediately with magic after they had been read. It was the only way to keep them out of the hands of anyone else who could use the information against them. Besides all of that, it also became obvious to them both that their feelings for each other had undergone a complete revolution to what they had felt when they were younger. 

Ironically, even though they had not ever verbally spoken a civil word to each other, somewhere along the way, the secret friends and allies had developed strong affectionate feelings for one another. It had been a natural side effect of pouring their hearts and souls out on paper for each other. However, neither of them dared to believe that the other one felt the same…and so they both kept that knowledge to themselves. 

Unbeknownst to each other, it became the secret dream of them both to be together when all of the escalating troubles were over. Nevertheless, they were both intelligent enough to realize that being on opposite sides of the already deadly conflict did not bode well for a future together. Therefore, they continued to content themselves by expressing their feelings with the written word, instead. 

~~~~~

Things soon came to a head after the Spring holidays. Draco returned to school full of determination to help his Mia. That was who she was to him, since – at some point along the way - he had stopped referring to her as Granger in his thoughts and letters. The name of Hermione was out, as well. _She_ was part of Potter’s gang. 

However, _Mia_ was different. She was _his_ particular friend and confidante. Even though he knew that there used to be a lot of animosity between them, he found that he could barely remember those days. After all, he vastly preferred the close relationship that they now shared…and he even wished that it could become so much than that. He knew that such thoughts were dangerous, though, and he tried not to entertain them. However, he found that they often crept into his mind – especially when he was alone in his bed at night. 

At any rate, he was especially hopeful about the steps he had taken with the Goblins of Gringotts (anonymously, of course), courtesy of the information that he had cunningly gathered from his father and some of the other Death Eaters that had started to take over Malfoy Manor. From those same sources, though, he also knew that things were going to get very bad, very soon…and he needed Mia to be out of the pink bitch’s clutches before that happened. 

If the Goblins took the steps that he hoped they would, Mia would soon be able to return to the Lions' Den. Draco knew that was a dubious kind of safety, at best, but it was still far better than her current perilous circumstances. Her haggard appearance after the short holiday was proof of that. 

According to Dobby, without the other students to distract them, Filch and the toad had not let the girl out of their sight for days…not even for meals. She was forced to work all day, every day…and she did not even have any classes to provide the slightest of mental or physical escapes. To make matters worse, Dobby had not been able to surreptitiously complete any of her chores for her without the terrible twosome noticing the assistance. Consequently, Mia was forced to shoulder the intensive labor all on her own…and it obviously showed in the limp hair, sallow skin tone, and bruise-like circles under the eyes of the exhausted girl.

Therefore, it was a furious Draco who stormed into his godfather’s quarters to request a Pepper Up potion. The man did not even have to ask why or who it was for. After all, he firmly believed in “plausible deniability.” 

He just handed over several to the boy without a word. However, the silent warning was still present in his eyes. He could see where the unfortunate situation was heading…and his heart ached for his godson because he knew that the chances of any of it having a happy ending were slim to none. Nevertheless, he did later have a quiet word with Madame Pomfrey that she might want to take a look at the Granger girl again….and he _almost_ smiled at the stream of foul language that passed through the honorable woman’s lips in regards to her feelings about how the acting Headmistress treated that particular student. 

Under Pomfrey’s orders, Hermione spent a couple of days in the infirmary again until she was of stronger body and spirit. Upon her release, her secret routine of meeting over mealtimes with Dobby, who had turned out to be a surprisingly good friend, and exchanging letters with her unexpected penpal-who-had-become-so-much-more continued. Their companionship became her oasis in the desert and it brought her some much needed hope and happiness in the midst of her constant grief for her parents, anger over her treatment, and despair that no end to her plight seemed to be in sight.

~~~~~

It was finally time for the OWLs and Hermione was confident that she had done as well as could be expected in all of her classes - with the possible exception of DADA. She knew that her Defense skills had been lacking because of improper instruction and the inability to attend the clandestine small group practice sessions that she knew had occurred in all of the House common rooms and dormitories.* However, Draco had provided her with extra books and materials and Dobby had supervised some of her independent attempts…just in case she did something wrong and needed some powerful house elf magic to undo the unintentional damage. 

Consequently, her greatest achievement during the exams was her successful execution of the Patronus charm. It had been difficult to master on her own…especially with so few opportunities for happy memories. However, thoughts of a certain young blond wizard who had been there for her in her greatest time of need provided just the right amount of motivation that she needed in order to produce a translucent otter that swam in happy little circles around both her and the impressed examiner.

Hermione was further buoyed by the fact that the presence of the visiting Ministry Examiners meant that she was actually able to rest and chat with Harry and Ron in between examinations for the first time in months. Umbridge and Filch could do nothing about it, either, not without showing their penchant for absolute cruelty towards her in front of the Ministry officials. She was sure that she would pay for such inaction later, but while things finally felt normal in her life, she could not bring herself to care very much

That was especially true when a certain pair of gray eyes kept secretly meeting hers from across whatever room they both happened to be in. She was very happy to be back with her boys. However, she realized, with very little surprise, that if circumstances were different she would rather be with the owner of those eyes, instead.

Hermione’s contentment did not last long, however. Things quickly made a turn for the worst again when she and her classmates witnessed the attack on Hagrid and Professor McGonagall during their astronomy exams. Then, on the very next day, Harry frantically sought her out after having a vision in the middle of his History of Magic exam. 

Apparently, he thought Sirius was being tortured by Voldemort. She convinced him to contact his godfather first…before he did something rash and dangerous like swanning off to defend him without a plan. Harry reluctantly agreed and, fortunately, Kreacher’s lie was discovered before it was too late. Crookshanks was to thank for that miracle since the intelligent half-kneazle had immediately alerted the animagus to his godson’s presence in the floo and the man was able to make it into the room just in time. 

“I’ll get help!” Sirius promised darkly as Harry was forcibly pulled from the floo call by Umbridge herself when she and the Inquisition Squad discovered the interlopers in her office. 

Before Hermione could react, however, her wand was snatched away and she found herself pushed firmly against the wall by a hard body. When she reached up to automatically defend herself, her fists were caught and held over her head against the wall, as well. She looked up furiously…but deflated instantly in the shock of realization that her captor sported a pair of intense…and very familiar…gray eyes.

While Harry tried to lie to Umbridge, and his other friends struggled in the grips of their Slytherin captors, Hermione found herself completely distracted by the discovery that she was being held by the one man whom she had grown to know so well through his letters, but from whom she had been forced to keep her physical distance in order to keep their dangerous secret. Despite her shock, however, she was not immune to the irony that she had been longing to touch him for months, yet, now that it was finally happening, they were both surrounded by their enemies. Therefore, they could do nothing about their sudden physical proximity but exchange silent looks as they each frantically tried to figure a way out of their situation without sacrificing the other. When Hermione heard Umbridge begin to use an Unforgivable against her friend, though, she knew she needed to do _something_ fast. 

She gave Draco a desperate look as she willed him to understand that she needed for him to play along. When he nodded, almost imperceptibly, she immediately burst into sobs. Draco let go of her and stepped back quickly…as if disgusted by her tears. However, he could not have been prouder of his girl’s quick thinking once she started to babble about Dumbledore’s supposed “weapon,” and finally convinced Umbridge to take her and Harry off by themselves in search of it. 

He knew then that, one way or the other, the pink toad would not be returning. After all, it was finally Mia’s turn to stand up. Therefore, he did his part to help her from behind the scenes, as he distracted his fellow Slytherins with loud whinging complaints about being left behind. That way her supposed friends could overpower the rest of the Squad and escape to help her in a more direct way with whatever crazy plan she had concocted. 

Hours later, Draco knew that it was over…and that the Gryffindor gang was back in the castle…but he had still not received any information about Mia. He was frantic with both worry and curiosity until later that night when Dobby was finally able to present him with a hurriedly written letter that explained it all. He found out then that Sirius had been able to successfully round up enough Order members to investigate the happenings at Hogwarts. 

When Remus, Kingsley, and Tonks showed up with a big black dog, Harry had explained his vision to them. The Aurors were then immediately dispatched to the Department of Mysteries where several Death Eaters had been found and arrested as they tore the place apart looking for something…or someone. Fortunately, Voldemort had finally been seen and recognized, as well – even if he had escaped in the end. Unfortunately, Draco’s own father had not been so lucky.

Draco found that he was not terribly upset by the news. After all, he had never been close to his cruel father…and he knew very well that the man had done some terrible things. Unfortunately, he also knew that situation would probably make his mother unhappy. However, he would soon be home to console her during the summer holidays. Maybe he could even talk her into leaving England for a while. That was a nice thought - even though he did not think it was very likely to happen – not with the kind of “house guests” that Malfoy Manor currently hosted. 

Despite all of that, he did not feel guilty at all when he allowed himself to be completely distracted from thoughts of his family to focus on Mia’s letter as she went on to tell him exactly what had happened to Umbridge. In fact, he found that he could not stop laughing after that. His girl was brilliantly scary! Even better than the idea that the toad had been given her comeuppance from Mia and the centaurs was the knowledge that Mia was now free from the evil woman’s clutches. She would remain that way - especially since Dumbledore had finally arrived back on the scene to reclaim the school after he had been vindicated in his assertions a year earlier that Voldemort had returned. 

Draco read the note thoroughly several times before he reluctantly allowed Dobby to destroy it, as usual. After all, he knew that some of the information it contained would be very dangerous in the wrong hands. Then, once his elf friend had bid him a cheerful good-night, Draco found that he was able to fall asleep with a lightened heart, as well. His dreams that night, though, were unexpectedly fueled by the memory of how it felt to have Mia beneath him as he held her against that wall…but in a _completely_ different context than what had occurred in reality.

By the next morning, a lot of what had happened the night before was common knowledge among the students and staff – thanks to the copies of the _Daily Prophet_ that were eagerly circulated around the Great Hall. Despite the many dark and suspicious looks that he received from most of those around her, he was pleased to see Mia back with her friends at the Gryffindor table. Her smile was bright and her eyes shined with happiness as golden brown discreetly met gray from across the room. Even better than the beautiful expression that she sent his way, however, was the look on her face when she finally received the letter he had been hoping would come for the last several weeks. Nevertheless, he had not even mentioned the possibility to her because he did not want to get her hopes up for nothing. 

Despite their unfortunate encounters in the past, Draco knew that it would kill him now if he hurt her, even unintentionally. However, fortunately, his fears had apparently been in vain and the information that he relayed to the goblins had actually borne fruit. Consequently, he could not stop the grin on his own face when he saw the letter that arrived by an official Gringotts owl at breakfast – immediately after Dumbledore mentioned that the mail ban had been lifted. 

_Ms. Hermione Granger,_

_Gringotts Wizarding Bank is pleased to inform you that due to a tip from an anonymous source, as well as assistance from our contacts within the Muggle banking sector, misappropriated funds from the muggle accounts that have been proven to have belonged to your deceased parents have been recovered from the Gringotts vaults of those responsible._

_Since you have recently reached the age of magical majority, the funds have been transferred to a new vault that has been opened in your name at our establishment. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss the contents of this vault, in addition to the several properties that have been located through your muggle solictor, as well._

_At your earliest convenience, please set up an appointment with your assigned account manager, Ripstorm, so that all remaining fees, paperwork, blood warding, etc… that has been associated with this recovery process can be completed._

_The Goblin Nation thanks you for your continued patronage!_

_..._

Draco watched as joy and confusion warred for dominance over her features as she read her letter. Then his heart leapt into his throat as those golden brown eyes finally flicked back up to meet…not Potter’s or the Weasel’s with whom to share her good news first…but _his!_ It warmed his heart to know that she wanted him to know of her happy change of circumstances before either of her supposed best friends. 

Since he was surrounded by his fellow Slytherins, however, he knew that he could not dare to show the depth of his happiness for her, just in case word got back to the wrong people. Therefore, he just scowled instead - as if he was more upset by the news of his father and all of the merriment around him than he actually was. He was thrilled for her, though, and he knew he had to find a way to let her know it.

In fact, what he really wanted to do was to meet with her, face-to-face and alone, once more before the year officially ended and he was sent back home to the fate he suspected waited for him there. After all, he might never have the chance again to do so. Unfortunately, he did not know of any place in the castle that was a secure enough location for them to meet in absolute secrecy. After all, they had to be even more careful now that it was common knowledge that the Dark Lord was alive and well. In fact, due to their close ties with those involved, the Slytherins would probably all be monitored closely during the last couple of days before they boarded the Hogwarts Express. 

He thought about going to his godfather, since he knew that he could rely on his quiet support as he had done from the beginning. However, Draco did not want to put Mia into any more danger than she already was and even though he trusted Severus, he decided not to give the Dark Lord any ammunition against him, either. After all, Draco suspected that he godfather’s affliation with the Death Eaters was not as it seemed. Therefore, he decided to ask Dobby for advice – especially since the house elves knew the castle better than anybody. It turned out to be a good decision since Dobby had an immediate answer.

“Dobby knows the perfect place, sir! Dobby heard tell of it from the the other house elves when he came to Hogwarts, sir. It is known by us as the Come and Go Room, sir, or else as the Room of Requirement.”**

After he heard the details, Draco agreed that it seemed to be the perfect place for a private meeting. Therefore, he sent Mia a letter through Dobby to request her presence there on the following night…their last at Hogwarts for the year…and to give instructions about how to enter the room itself. After, the house elf popped away to deliver it, however, Draco began to feel some uncharacteristic self-doubt. _What if she did not answer? What if she did not need him any more since she was back in the Lions’ Den? What if she…_

Draco’s unfounded fears and _what ifs_ faded into quiet joy when Dobby returned with an immediate response. It was short and to the point, but it was all that Draco needed to see. In fact, the three words in her distinctive script set his heart at ease immediately.

_I’ll be there!_

_~~~~~_

Hermione had experienced a whirlwind couple of days. The adrenaline-pumping events of the evening where she had tricked Umbridge into the Forbidden Forest had been followed by the horror of the discovery of Voldemort’s sinister plot to lure Harry to the Department of Mysteries. That had culminated in the joy of Professor Dumbledore’s sudden return in which she had finally regained her freedom from Umbridge and Filch in order to be a normal Gryffindor again. 

However, none of that really compared to her utter astonishment at the knowledge of what Draco had done for her when she received her letter from Gringotts. She knew instantly that he was the one who had provided the “anonymous tip” that led to the recovery of her parents’ assets. She was more grateful than she could ever say because, even though the money would never make up for their loss, it would help her to lead a more normal life. Hermione would not need to be “grateful for the charity of her betters” ever again, nor would she be forced to accept even no-strings-attached financial help from the guilt-ridden Harry (who had already offered) or anyone else for that matter.

In fact, the newfound wealth combined with the surprise knowledge that she was now a legal adult in the Wizarding World, (a condition that she quickly figured out was an unexpected side-effect of her Time Turner use during Third Year) meant that she no longer had to be dependent on anyone. She knew that she had one person to thank for that. Therefore, when she received his request to meet again in person…and in private...she was thrilled to answer in the affirmative. She sent her note off at once with the very loyal Dobby – along with several kisses of gratitude placed on his little bald head that caused the little house elf to beam with delight. 

At the same time, she could not help but to hope that other kisses would be in her future, as well – especially when it came to one particular Slytherin. She thought about how much Draco had come to mean to her and a blush also rose to her face as she remembered how good his body had felt against hers in those few desperate moments against the wall in Umbridge’s office. At that moment, she suddenly realized that she would probably welcome more than just his kisses, as well. Accordingly, she was alight in anticipation when the time finally came to meet with him.

~~~~~

Hermione made her excuses to her friends when she left the “Last Night of the Year” party in the Gryffindor common room and made her way up to the seventh floor and to the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy. Then she followed Dobby’s instructions and paced back and forth in front of it as she thought, “I need to find the room that Dobby prepared for my meeting with Draco.” She now trusted the little house elf completely, so she was not surprised when a door opened up out of the previously blank wall.

She was surprised, however, when she entered to find a cozy room that seemed to come straight out of a romantic fairy tale. Soft lighting, draping fabrics, a small table with delicious looking nibbles, and a small sofa for two were in the foreground. However, Hermione could not miss the fact that Dobby had also included a large sprawling bed in front of the roaring fireplace in the background. She blushed at the knowledge that Dobby obviously knew about her secret feelings. She could not help but to wonder what Draco would think, however.

She did not have long to contemplate such thoughts, however, before the man himself entered the room. He heart soared when he did not even look at their surroundings. He only had eyes for her.

“Mia,” he whispered. 

With that one word, everything she had planned to say to him flew out of her mind. She only knew that she had to be in his arms as soon as possible. He seemed to feel the same way and they quickly removed the distance between them.

“Draco…” she started to murmur, but then she forgot what else she was planning to say when his hands came up to cup each side of her face as he finally kissed her. 

Words were no longer important to either of them once they finally found themselves together. They just knew that they needed each other. After all, they had grown so close already. Through their months of uncensored letters, they already knew each other better than anyone had known them before. Therefore, it just felt natural that they did not need to speak as their kisses grew more and more desperate. 

After all, neither one of them knew what the future would hold beyond this one night. They were realistic, however. They both knew that their fairy tale may not have a Happily Ever After ending. Nevertheless, they finally realized that they would make the most of the time while they still had it and they would grab what happiness they could while they were able. After all, even though they were young and inexperienced, they were eager…and the big bed in front of the fire looked inviting.*** They could figure out everything else later. 

**Author's Note:**

> *Remember, Hermione was the driving force behind organizing the DA and convincing the reluctant Harry to do it. Therefore, without her presence, it probably never would have come to pass.
> 
> **Actual dialogue from Dobby to Harry in OOTP when Harry was looking for a place for the DA to meet.
> 
> ***At this time, Hermione is 17 and Draco is 16. This seems to be a very reasonable age for a first sexual encounter – especially when they have strong feelings for each other. At any rate, I purposely made the situation ambiguous so that you can decide exactly how much...or how little (maybe they just kissed and cuddled)...actually happened in that bed.


End file.
